Because
Hall has two prior felony convictions, he was sentenced under the state's
habitual offender act, which allows Alabama judges to impose an enhanced sentence
for a defendant with an extensive felony record.

Court records show that Hall was indicted and arrested in June in
connection with another sexual assault of a teenager. He faces charges of
first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy and sexual torture/abuse.

On June
13, a jury deliberated for about an hour and a half before convicting Hall of
the three charges.

The victim, her family and the prosecutors were all very happy
with Hall's sentence.

After Hall's conviction, Collins said the state had powerful DNA
evidence that was "insurmountable."

"DNA evidence is just powerful evidence, and I think juries
take DNA as being acceptable means of identification," he said. "Once they hear
it, that's pretty much it."

The victim and several friends were walking home from a school
event. Each of her friends arrived at their homes, and the girl began walking
to her home a short distance away.

A man dressed entirely in black and with his face obscured
approached the girl and dragged her into the woods near some railroad tracks.
He threatened to kill her if she didn't cooperate as he attacked her.

After taking the girl's wallet, he fled the scene.

More than a year later, the Birmingham Police Department
identified the attacker as Hall after comparing DNA from that incident and
another sexual assault. Hall's DNA profile had been placed in a state database.